Nepal Delegation Visits ICAR-IARI

10 September 2025, New Delhi

A high-level delegation from Nepal, led by Dr. Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal, and Mr. Krishna Prasad Timisina, Executive Director, Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), visited the ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi today.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Ch. Srinivasa Rao, Director and Vice-Chancellor, ICAR-IARI, highlighted India’s achievements in agricultural research, education, and extension. He underlined the strong cultural, spiritual, and geographical bonds between India and Nepal, noting that India’s tested innovations could significantly benefit Nepal’s agricultural development. He stressed the importance of addressing common challenges such as climate change, natural resource management, and productivity gains, particularly in hill agriculture. Dr. Rao also detailed India’s journey from a food-deficit nation to a food-surplus country with strong export potential, attributing the success to advancements in technology development, policy support, and farmer empowerment. He further emphasized collaborative efforts to strengthen NARC in light of Nepal’s plans to restructure its agriculture research, education, and extension systems.

Dr. Anupama Singh, Dean & Joint Director (Education), ICAR-IARI, discussed opportunities for enhancing student enrolment in IARI and State Agricultural Universities, along with faculty development initiatives.

Dr. R.N. Padaria, Joint Director (Extension), ICAR-IARI, spoke about strengthening farmers’ cooperatives for efficient technology transfer and market linkages.

Mr. Krishna Prasad Timisina underscored the need for closer collaboration between ICAR and NARC, particularly in the development of high-yielding varieties and natural resource management.

A documentary film showcasing ICAR-IARI’s contributions was also screened for the delegation.

During the discussions, modalities for germplasm exchange and collaborative research programmes were explored.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi)